A Route Map to transforming the deer management sector collaboratively towards a sustainable model
What is the Route Map?
For many of us, the deer sector in Scotland needs to create a structure that will sustain deer management jobs and deliver nature restoration for the long term. Organisations and individuals from all parts of the deer sector have pledged their support for building a deer management futures framework based on the views of people involved in all aspects of deer management.
The proposal, developed by Scottish Environment LINK and ADMG is to do this step by step through a route map approach. The first step is to involve representatives of all parts of the sector identifying the challenges to getting deer management in Scotland onto a sustainable footing for the long term. This might include issues like:
- Effective levels of funding based on the economics of deer management
- Mindset, trust and relationships for supportive collaboration
- Skills and capacity needed for managing deer
- Shared knowledge and understanding
- Other issues raised by stakeholders in the sector.
Many of these challenges are well understood, others less so. Funding is in place for the Centre for Good Relations to support a process that will guide and strengthen relationships between stakeholders as they work through the first step of identifying an agreed list of challenges to address. This improved collaboration will then allow stakeholders to find common ground, identify solutions and ultimately, ways to implement these solutions as they take action in their respective fields. By developing a framework that the deer sector is united behind, we will get to a much stronger position to secure the healthy, long-term future for deer management, and all the benefits this brings, that we all want to see.
The Survey
This can only work with the experience, knowledge and insights from all parts of the sector so we hope you will take ten minutes or so to send in your thoughts/responses to the survey.
The partners plan to take the first phase of the Route Map forward in two ways:
- Firstly, we very much hope that people in the sector will share thoughts on the challenges that need to be addressed by completing this questionnaire (please follow this LINK). The survey should be fully accessible and is the best way to contribute, however THIS document provides a way of contributing your views by phone or in person if you hit any problems. The survey will be open until 19th June.
- Secondly, the Centre for Good Relations will be in touch with a range of stakeholders from all parts of the deer sector to arrange conversations that will draw out more detail and nuance about the important issues. This will be taking place through June and July in particular, with a view to completing stage 1 by the end of August. From there, we will seek further funding for the key second step of bringing stakeholders together to co-develop practical solutions for each of the challenges we need to take on.